One Half Equals One Third
by Banshi13
Summary: A sequal to a previous story of mine in which Ron and Hermione are taken from Hogwarts in an effort to protect Harry. However, one minor detail is kept from them, but revealed in this story. Please read and review, this story is finished.


1The hard trollop of hooves pounded along the English countryside underneath the cloudy skies of

the atmosphere. The horses road with swift grace, carrying their four riders to their destination. Black capes billowed in the oncoming wind as the animals seemed to pick up speed, almost as though they sensed the urgency from their riders to get where they were going quickly...as if there were danger ahead if they didn't.

Leading the tiny party was a man dressed all in black, a set expression of determination and cool acceptance on his face, and gaunt, pale features. Riding behind and to the side of him was another man about the same age with lighter features, but the ever present aura of exhaustion lingering in his eyes.

Riding closely, yet, unwillingly behind them were two younger people of 16 years; a boy with bright red hair and aquamarine eyes and a girl with long brown hair and cinnamon eyes. Both were quiet, following those that led them with no protest, but anyone would be able to see that they were unhappy, frightened, and angry. The younger party continually exchanged glances and mouthed messages to each other. Sometimes, they even slowed their horses a bit and had whispered and low toned conversations so that their guides wouldn't hear. Now however, they kept up with the horses in front of them, knowing that if they were to fall to far behind, they would receive quite the tongue lashing from the tall, dark, and gaunt one. Finally, the afore mentioned gaunt one held up a hand, and the horses behind him slowed.

"What is it, Severus?" Remus Lupin asked, his brow furrowing as his keen auror senses took over. The other man didn't answer for a moment, choosing instead to simply point ahead in the distance. "There," he stated, inching his transportation forward. "is the house."

"That's Sirius' house," Hermione Granger exclaimed, coming along side Professor Snape and looking at the teachers. "This is where we were going?" Remus nodded. "Oh great...we'll get to listen to that horrible painting again," Ron Weasley complained, choosing to stay behind the other three and glower. The first time he and Hermione had visited Sirius' house, someone had unintentionally pulled aside a curtain that held a painting of Sirius' mother...Sirius' very loud and bigoted mother.

"So long as neither of you go near the painting, you should not have to endure any of that woman's screeching," Snape said cooly, looking over his shoulder at his students. Hermione didn't reply, but Ron snorted. "I have a feelin' that bloody woman can be heard over 1,000 hexed curtains."

"Mr. Weasley, we may be off school grounds and the circumstances to why you are at Mr. Blacks residence may be dire, but that does not mean that I can not give you a detention anytime I wish."

"Why doesn't _that_ surprise me?" Ron muttered under his breath. Hermione only rolled her eyes and gave Ron a glare that said, "don't push it". If Snape heard him though, he chose to ignore the comment and push the horse forward instead. Remus, Hermione, and Ron followed close behind.

Upon reaching the front door of the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters, Professor Snape and Professor Lupin descended from their horses, telling Hermione and Ron to stay on put on theirs. "That way if there's trouble, you can ride out of here and hopefully get back to Hogwarts," Remus reasoned. Meanwhile, Snape stepped up to the door and thought the address of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black (noble my arse) he thought at the end snidely as the door was opened...half way. A loud 'whoops!' followed by a large bang was heard from behind the door and Snape rolled his eyes.

"Hello, Tonks," he called, turning around and nodding at the students that it was safe to get off of their horses...well, maybe not safe, but certainly alright. Remus only shook his head, grinning as he stepped into the house that he was very familiar with. Ron and Hermione came in behind him, with Snape bringing up the rear.

The cause of the 'whoops' was very evident once everyone was in the foyer. A hat rack had fallen to the floor, the hats spread out in every direction. Tonks was on the floor at the moment trying to pick them all up and at the same time, set the hat rack up right. "Oy there, Severus," she greeted the potions master warmly. "And hello to you too, Remus. Lookin' much better in the gills there I'd say," she complimented right before putting two hats in her mouth to use both hands to steady the hat rack. She nodded at Ron and Hermione, and for the first time in a day and a half, the teen's actually cracked a smile.

"Hello yourself, Tonks," Remus greeted warmly, stooping to help her with the other hats that she

hadn't been able to get to. "Everything arranged?" The other auror nodded, moving so that Snape could get past her. "Yes, sirry! The rest of the aurors' will be here tomorrow morning, and their rooms are ready right upstairs."

"Perfect, Tonks," Severus called over his shoulder, the last of his robes swishing out of the door, heading off to another area of the house. Remus, along with Ron and Hermione helped Tonks pick up the rest of the mess on the floor and put the hats back on the rack. Ron had quite a time with the last one though; it didn't seem to want to want to go to it's home. "Put me down, ruffian!" It yelled. Ron nearly dropped it. The black antique top hat continued on with it's shouts. "This is outrageous, atrocious! I've been cooped up on that darned rack for 18 months now, not one bloody person in this house has moved me! I want answers! You can't just keep a hat hanging around with no head underneath!" Although Ron had grown up in the magical world, he simply looked at Hermione in astonishment, his trademark look of 'this is weird' on his face.

"Maybe you chaps better leave that to me, eh?" Tonks suggested, gently taking the protesting hat from Ron's grasp and nodding towards the kitchen. "You look a bit pale. Go on into the kitchen and get yourselves a spot of supper." Hermione and Ron looked reluctant to leave Tonks, but Remus put one hand each on their shoulders and nudged them along. "That was always the loudest one of the group...Sirius' treated it horribly...left it lying about the house, dust was always on it." He shook his head at a particularly fond memory and led the students into the kitchen where food had been laid out for them. Remus, never one to deny food, went right for a pickle and some crackers, but when he turned around, he saw that neither Ron nor Hermione had moved.

"Come on, you two," he beckoned, pointing to the food, "eat up." When they still didn't move, Remus sighed and finished the rest of his crackers, wiping the crumbs from his hands by brushing his slightly tattered coat. "Alright, at least sit down." The tone of his voice let them know that that was not a request, and they inched towards the table and chairs and took a seat. "I know that it won't help to tell you that everything will be alright in the end, and that this is done for your own good," Remus started, "but not eating and staying depressed will not help your situation." He stopped for a moment in case either of them had anything to say. When neither of them said a word, he continued on.

"I can understand how you feel...you're angry, frightened, maybe you're even feeling a bit betrayed. But this is a war, and this really _is_ the best way to ensure that the three of you remain safe and alive through out it." He looked at them closely. "Can you understand that?" After a moment, Hermione nodded, making eye contact with the professor. Ron barely moved his head. There was another quiet moment between the three, then, Remus headed towards the door. "Get something in your stomachs," he said softly, "I have to talk to Professor Snape about a few things. Afterwards, try and go to sleep. You have an early day tomorrow." Before Hermione or Ron could ask what he meant by that, Remus swept out the door, leaving the two alone for the time being.

Hermione was the first to get up from her seat and shuffle over to the table. After surveying what was there, she took a plate and on it put a piece of chicken, some crackers, green beans, and stuffing. "Ron, do you want anything?" she asked softly. Ron looked up from the floor and paused before answering. He hadn't really heard the question. "What?"

"I asked you if you wanted anything?" she repeated, turning around with the plate in her hands. She gestured with her head to the food behind her, but Ron shook his head. "No...I'm alright, thanks."

"You heard Professor Lupin," Hermione came over to the table to sit, "he said we should eat something...and he's right. We haven't had anything since we left Hogwarts."

"Hermione, I'm not hungry," Ron said, frustration and finality in his voice. Then, he added, "and I don't think you are either." He glanced at her plate and then up at her again. She looked slightly flustered, but she also had a defeated look on her face. She pushed her plate away and nodded. "No, I'm not..." she relented. Ron let out a hard, loud sigh and slumped in his seat.

"This is ridiculous," he muttered, "we don't belong here. We belong with Harry. We should be helping him, defending him if there's an attack, not running away so that we can stay safe." He looked at her, and Hermione could tell with the sparkle in his aquamarine eyes that an idea was forming in his head.

This is why she immediately shook her head. "Whatever it is you want to do Ron, we probably, shouldn't." She licked her lips nervously. "If you look at this from a logical standpoint, Dumbledore was right to send us away-"

"I don't _want_ to look at this in a bloody logical way, Hermione!" Ron shouted nearly at the top of his lungs. "Don't try and bring logic into this either. You're just as angry as I am. You know they're wrong!"

"No, Ron, they're _not_ wrong," Hermione said, stamping her foot down for emphasis. "They are right in wanting to protect us; they're right in sending us away." Ron just stared at her, dumbfounded. He tried to say something, but Hermione cut him off. "I know you're upset. I'm upset too! I wanted to stay and help Harry just as much as you did. But not only would we be putting ourselves in danger, we'd be putting Harry in more danger than is needed. _That_ is what is wrong."

"Oh, so you're on their side now, are you? Taking Snape and Lupin's position?" Ron spat out, his eyebrows knitting together. In response, Hermione shot out of her seat, facing off with him on his level. "No I'm not taking sides Ron. And that's not what this is about! This is about Harry, and what's best for him!"

"What's _best_ for him is that we're there to help and defend him when it's needed!"

"What's best for him is that we're in a position to_ keep_ helping and defending him. How can we do that if Voldemort has captured us in battle?"

"Would you stop throwing that name around?"

"_What is the meaning of all of this racket?"_

Both students turned to see Snape standing in the doorway, a severe expression on his face. Lupin and Tonks were standing behind him, trying to see above the taller mans shoulders. Snape swept into the room, his black robes flowing gracefully behind him as he stepped up to the two teenagers. Now that he was out of the way, Hermione and Ron could also plainly see Mad Eye Moody and two other aurors that he wasn't familiar with standing behind Lupin and Tonks.

"I will ask you once more," Snape was saying. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other, then at Snape. "What were you arguing about?" When they still didn't answer clasped his hands in front of him. Both of the irate students were to busy looking away from their teacher to notice the slight sympathetic look that he allowed to cross upon his face for a mere moment. It was gone as instantly as it came however, and his voice betrayed no hint of sorrow for Ron and Hermione's plight.

"I grow tired of repeating myself, so this will be last time I say it," Snape started out, "Mr. Weasley, Miss. Granger, you have been put in a fairly perilous situation. You won't be able to see your good friend, Mr. Potter for quite some time. There are rumors of You-Know-Who's spies trying to come after you. You have been whisked away from everything you know. While this may be a new and frightening experience for you, you are still under the protection of myself and the aurors. The only thing that has changed is the location of where you will live. Tolerance for your incessant rule breaking and haughtiness is at an all time low, especially with the situation you find yourselves in now. Therefore, the utmost behavior is expected from you both here on out. Arguing about your problem will do nothing to solve it, and there are more important and time consuming things that you will be doing that will disable you from constantly picking at each other like twitterpaited teenagers."

At the last sentence, Ron looked up, his eyes wide as a deer caught in headlights. It was also apparent to everyone in the room that Hermione's face had turned seven shades of red. They weren't the only ones that were surprised; Lupin and the rest of the audience were standing in stunned silence. While Tonks and the others were looking back and forth from teacher to student, Lupin was staring straight ahead at Severus, a kind of sad glint in his eye.

He would talk to Snape about it later.

"Now with that being said," Severus continued, sweeping a hand towards the door where their audience still stood as though waiting for the encore, "what little you were able to bring with you has been taken upstairs. Your respective rooms have been prepared. As soon as you have finished eating, you will go immediately upstairs and settle in for the night. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow, and you will need what little rest you may be able to get."

"Yes, uh...come along now, you two," Professor Lupin added on, stepping away from the door so that Ron and Hermione would be able to get through. "Hermione, Tonks will show you to your room, Ron, Professor Moody here will escort you."

Numbly, Ron headed towards the exit, a defeated look upon his face. Hermione went to clean up the kitchen table, but Lupin waved her off, picking up the plate before she could reach it. "Don't you worry about this, Hermione," he assured her, "Professor Snape and I will clean up the kitchen." He gave her a smile and nodded towards the door, encouraging her to go with Tonks, which she reluctantly did. As soon as he was sure that the leaving party was out of ear shot, he turned to Severus, a sad frown on his face. Before he could say anything though, Snape cut him off, slicing a pale, thin hand in the air.

"Don't bother, Lupin. None of your pleas will be heard by these ears," he defiantly said. Despite the warning, Remus decided to attempt what he was going to say. "You could try to be a bit more understanding, Severus," he said, dumping the full plate that Hermione had made into the trash and then setting it in the sink. The faucet immediately turned on, hot water rushing out of the spickit and a sponge rising into the air to clean the dish.

"Yes, and they could try being a bit more mature, don't you think, Lupin?" Severus shot back in a sour, sure tone. "They're 16 year's old, Snape. I think they're handling their situation remarkably well, all things considered." Lupin leaned back against the sink, fixing Snape with an 'I dare you to challenge that remark' look. And as always, the potions master rose to the challenge.

"All things considered, I should not have had to come in here to break up a childish spat. Mr. Weasley seems hell bent on the notion that he and Miss. Granger belong with Mr. Potter, protecting him in anyway possible. Miss Granger seems equally as insistent on the matter, but feels the need to lay things out in a logical context for our brilliant red-headed Gryffindor to see, which, he does not."

"And he won't Severus, not until he's older and better able to understand things. As for Hermione, yes, of course she wants to be near Harry. They have been best friends for the past six years of their lives. They've shared countless adventures together, some of those adventures nearly ending their lives!" He sighed and looked at Severus warily.

"You should know better than anyone here what those two are going through at the moment." A harsh example to bring up, but one that, Remus felt sure, would make even Severus' cold heart melt a tad.

"Don't be absurd, Lupin," Severus sniffed, taking a seat at the table and crossing his arms over his chest, "or do you forget, I had no friends during my days at Hogwarts to care about?"

"I'm not talking about your days at Hogwarts," Remus said, walking towards the table and also taking a seat across from his fellow professor. "I'm talking about the moment found out that a certain red headed Gryffindor that I know you held in high esteem had been selected for a rather important job in the Ministry of Magic." He looked pointedly at Snape, knowing that the man would know the example he was referring to. He had to give Snape credit; years of being a Deatheater had made him a professional at hiding all forms of emotion, especially when there was the possibility of that emotion being broadcast all over his face.

"I must readily admit that I have no idea what instance you are referring to Lupin," Snape responded evenly.

"Then I shall unhappily remind you," Remus said, leaning forward on the table. "I know you cared nothing for James, Snape. But when you found out that Lily had been asked to do some undercover spying for the ministry, nothing in this realm or the muggle realm could keep the look of fear from spreading across your face." He waited for Severus to refute the claim, but no rebuttal came. Lupin continued.

"You remember, don't you? That cold, still night in Dumbledore's office. One of the very first meetings that you, Lily, James, and a few more trusted Aurors had with Albus shortly after you defected to the light side?" There was still no reaction from Snape, although knowing him through out the years, Lupin knew that the professor did indeed recall that night.

"Lily and a special team of aurors had been designated to stake out a Deatheater meeting, one in which Voldemort would be divulging some rather important information. I know that you didn't want her to go, Severus." Lupin's tone had taken on a sad quality to it. "You felt it was to dangerous for her. And maybe you were right...she and her fellow watchers didn't exactly come out unscathed..." He sighed. "It's the same principle here, Severus. Ron and Hermione feel that their place is by that of Harrys'. And you felt that your place was by Lily's." Remus fixed his companion with a look that said 'don't even bother to deny it'.

"I was older then than they are now," Severus defended. "I knew the risks."

"Do you think they don't?" Remus nodded towards the door to indicate Ron and Hermione. Snape merely sneered. "They are but children, Lupin. 16 years old to be exact. They don't know half of what can happen to them."

"I beg to differ, Severus," Remus objected, holding a finger up in the air. "Those children have been through far more than any other child at Hogwarts in the past six years they've attended. They know the risks that they would be taking. Their only problem lies between choosing the logical path or the emotional path." He shook his head. "Don't under estimate them, Severus. You detested that quality about your teachers when you were a student."

The silence remained until Tonks came back into the kitchen. "Oy, we're gettin' ready to start the meetin' now, if you wanna come on into the den," she stopped talking and looked at the two men. "Is everything alright in here? You ain't gonna start killin' anybody right?"

"No, no, no, of course not Tonks," Remus said, smiling lightly at the woman, "Severus and I were just having a discussion about the old days that's all. We'll be in shortly, don't worry." He nodded at her to ensure her, and although Tonks seemed a bit apprehensive about leaving the two alone in the kitchen together, she none the less scooted out of the area.

"How did you know that Lily had been sent as a spy to Voldemort?" Snape asked. "No one but the people that were in that room were supposed to know about that operation." He stood up and stared at Remus, a look of wonder and suspicion on his face. Remus simply shrugged and gestured towards the door, allowing Snape to go ahead of him.

"You weren't the only spies at the time, Severus. I used to be quite good at finding out things, what with my quiet ways." He winked at the fellow professor and followed him into the den where the rest of the aurors awaited them.

HarryPotterHarryPotterHarryPotterHarryPotterHarryPotterHarryPotterHarryPotterHarryPotter

"Just a minute!" Hermione called, climbing out from the covers of her bed to the door. She glanced at the clock on the wall as she crossed and frowned. "11:00...I wonder who could be knocking at this hour..." Opening the door, she was more than a little surprised to see her Potions Master standing before her. "Professor Snape?" She stepped back, and in doing so, was able to see past the former Deatheater and into the hall. Professor Lupin was standing at Ron's door and also appeared to be talking to Ron.

"Miss. Granger, Professor Lupin and I have an important matter to discuss with you and Mr. Weasley. We will see you downstairs in the den in five minutes?" It sounded like a question but Hermione knew from six years of taking lessons from this man that it was not a question but an order. She nodded. "O-of course, Professor...um, what about?"

"That will be discussed downstairs, Miss. Granger." He turned away from her and proceeded down the hall. Not long after him, Remus followed, and both Ron and Hermione were left standing in their doorways, looking in bewilderment at each other.

"Wot was that all about?" Ron asked, coming out into the hallway and crossing his arms, looking over at the stairs. "I don't know," Hermione turned back from Ron, disappearing into her room for a moment. When she came back out, she had a heavy looking red robe on with matching slippers. "I guess we'll find out. I'll see you downstairs..." Ron looked after her as she descended the staircase then huffed back into his room, grabbing one of the sweaters that his mother had made him the previous Christmas. "Always something," he muttered. "Even away from Hogwarts, I can't get any sleep!"

After finding his slippers and pulling them on, Ron hurried downstairs, all the while, his stomach churning at what Lupin and Snape wanted to talk to him and Hermione about. Maybe it's about studying...or eatin' to much in the house...or house keepin'...Lord knows if mum was here, that would be first thing she'd talk about Reaching the den, he stopped before he entered fully, taking in the looks on everyone's faces. Not only were Snape and Lupin there, but Tonks and Moody were there too. They were all standing while Hermione was seated on the couch. At first glanced, she seemed alright, but Ron knew better than that. Her bottom lip was caught in between her teeth and her foot, although it was slight, was jumping up and down.

"Come, come, Mr. Weasley, you don't have all night to hear this," Snape said, his ever slightly annoyed tone ticking Ron off tonight more than usual. None the less, he took a seat next to Hermione and folded his hands together, looking up at the teachers and auror's. "Wot's goin' on?" A look passed between Remus and Severus. Remus' head nodded slightly and he stepped forward. "This is not going to be easy for either of you to hear, but you must hear it. You have to listen to us and above all else, stay calm and clear-headed. You're not going to be happy about what we have to tell you, but you need to understand that this is what is best for everyone involved."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat and she shot a worried glance at Ron. "What's happened? Is it Harry? Is he alright?"

"Harry is fine, Hermione," Remus assured her, holding up a hand to stop her. "This has nothing to do with him. This has everything to do with you and Ron."

"Me and Hermione?" Ron leaned forward, resting on his knees.

"Yes," Remus licked his lips nervously, the only sign that let the younger people in the room know that he was nervous. "Tomorrow morning, there are going to be more aurors here. They have been assigned, along with the four of us, to escort you two to your new accommodations...separately."

Hermione furrowed her brow, and even though a rock seemed to plunge its way down into her stomach, she still felt the need to ask, "what do you mean?"

"Tomorrow morning," Remus continued, "one group will take you, Hermione, and Professor Snape and Moody, to a different location. A second group of aurors will take you, Ron, along with myself and Tonks, to a separate location." For some reason, it was so difficult for him to look at their faces, but he made himself keep eye contact with both teens. "You will be separated...perhaps for a very long time." he said finally.

"We are going to ask you to be mature about this," Snape broke in, seemingly not caring about the numb looks on Ron and Hermione's faces, "with the high level of danger out in the field and behind the scenes, Professor Dumbledore and the ministry itself feels that this is the best course of action."

Even after Snape stopped speaking there was still no hint that either teen had heard what he or Lupin had just said. Ron was the first to snap out of it though. "This was the plan all along, wasn't it?" he asked quietly, though there was the hint of malice in his voice that very rarely made its way to the surface. "This was what was going to happen...take us from Harry, and then split us up, right?"

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?" Hermione asked. She set her glare upon Lupin. Above everyone else in the room, she would have put faith in him to tell her and Ron about something like this sooner than now. "Why not tell us when we were being separated from Harry?"

"Think back, Miss. Granger," Snape intervened, sliding forward on the couch, "what do you remember when the first bit of news came? I remember a lot of yelling, fighting, arguing, and insubordination. With all of that going on, as we all knew it would, it was better to deal with one problem rather than two."

"Did Harry know about this?" Ron spat out.

"No," Remus answered, "Harry had no idea that this was going to happen. We made sure to tell him only that you two were going to be taken from Hogwarts to a safer location for a while."

"We would not have told Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley," Snape pointed out, "his loyalty to the both of you is unfathomable. We wanted to keep this as quiet as possible until the need for it to be known showed itself."

"Why?" Hermione looked up at the aurors and teachers in the room, not caring that everyone could see the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

"Miss. Granger, I seem to remember just having answered that ques-"

"I mean, why are you separating me and Ron?" Hermione cut Snape off, spitting out her clearer question. Her hands clenched into fists as she waited for an answer, and it didn't bother her that Snape had a look on his face that clearly meant he thought she was out of line. "If we're not going to see each other for a long time, then we deserve to know the reasons behind it!" She took a bold step forward, fixing each adult with her most heated glare. Remus decided to field the question.

"Look at it this way, Hermione," he pleaded, "you and Ron have seen more and done more than any other child at Hogwarts in the past six years. You know things about the ministry, about Voldemort, about the aurors that most of the other students don't know. It's because of your relationship to Harry that you know all this. Now, say that Voldemort were to come in possession of both you and Ron. I know that you would never willingly give up any information or become a part of Voldemorts' armies in anyway...but the fact remains is that there is always that chance...especially if he were to capture the both of you."

"Not only that, the fact that Voldemort would have both of you would be more incentive for Mr. Potter to adhere to any demands that You-Know-Who may place upon him."

"Are you saying that Harry would be weak enough to let Voldemort influence him that way?" Ron asked angrily.

"We're saying that the only two people left in Harry's life that are like family to him are the two of you," Remus answered. "And too a 16 year old boy in Harry's shoe's who lost both of his parents to Voldemort and his Godfather to his right hand woman...it's a very tricky proposition at best." He sighed and looked over his shoulder at Snape, who stood up, taking his que.

"Tomorrow morning at eight, you will be woken up. Your things will have already been put into the carriages which will transport you each to your temporary homes. Breakfast will have been prepared and I suggest that you both eat as much as possible as we will not be able to make any stops along the way. You will leave a nine sharp." He raised his eyebrows. "Any questions?" Hermione said nothing; she couldn't, really. All she could do was stand there, numb and cold as ice. Ron answered 'no'.

"Very well then. You are released."

"I mean 'no'...I'm not going to do this." Ron clarified. Every eye in the room, including Hermione's turned to look at him in either surprise or annoyance.

"Mr. Weasley, this is not open for debate," Snape said, his tone teetering on the danger zone. Ron had been on the receiving end of this in class many times before, and usually, he wound up shutting his mouth. Not this time though...although, he couldn't really explain why.

"I don't care," Ron seethed. His temper was beginning to get the better of him, but he didn't care about that either. "This is insane, that's what this is. If the danger level is so high then why not take us to the muggle world and stow us away there, huh? And if we're in that much danger, don't you think that Vold-I mean, You-Know-Who would have tried something already? What's the point in splitting us up?"

"Mr. Weasley-"

"No one seems to get that we're at our best when we're all together. You take us apart then we've got nothing! _That's_ when the trouble'll start!"

"Ron, please...just stop..." Hermione walked over to him, resting a hand on his arm. "Just stop." Her voice was barely audible, and Ron had to struggle just to hear her, even though she was standing right next to him. "It's not helping..." she wiped away her tears and walked behind him. "I'll be up in my room."

And she was gone, leaving Ron standing in the middle of the room, seething.

"Ron, I know what you must be thinking right now," Remus stepped up to him, clasping his shoulder, "but you've got to know that this is the best thing."

"No." Ron shook his red head, the color of his hair matching his temper. "You don't know what I'm thinking...I don't even know what I'm thinking...or feeling..." He shrugged off his teachers hand and turned away, walking out of the room. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, he debated following Hermione's example and going up to his room. He decided against that however and continued on into the kitchen, and, as luck would have it, he found exactly what he was looking for; a door to the outside world. Without a second thought, he was through it and standing on a handsome wooden porch. A chair sat to the left of the door and soon, Ron was occupying the seat, trying to calm down, to make some sense out of the past couple of days.

First, he'd been told that he was a danger to his best friend. Then, he was told that because he was that much of a danger, that he would be taken away from Harry to a 'secure' location where he and Hermione could be protected. Now, he was being told that he and Hermione were not only a danger to Harry, but a danger to each other, and because of that, they were going to be taken to separate locations so that it would be harder for Voldemort to get his hands on them.

Never mind that Ron had not seen or heard one bit of evidence that Voldemort even knew Hermione or he existed.

Never mind that everyone kept saying that it 'could' happen or that there was a 'probability' of he getting hurt or Hermione getting kidnapped.

Never mind that everyone at Hogwarts knew that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were a trio. They were at their best when they were together, they always stood by one another, always protected each other.

The first day Ron had met Harry, the two had gotten along superbly. They had swapped candies, stories, and by the end of their first year at Hogwarts, had shared a dorm room, Christmas Holiday, adventures, and saved each others lives. They were the best of friends, inseparable...well, at least up until now. They might as well have been brothers. Over the course of the past six years, their bond had become stronger to the point that now, it was unbreakable. Countless kidnappings, attempted murders, and deaths could do that to people.

And then, there was Hermione. The first time Ron had met her, he'd thought of her as nothing more than a pest, a know-it-all who wanted nothing more than to be the teacher's pet. Over the course of the first year, he came to know better. She had just as much spirit and bravery as he and Harry did, probably sometimes even more. He wasn't sure where he and Harry would be at the present without her intelligence and logic through out the years. Sure, he and she were at odds most of the time, fighting about something stupid, but friends always did that.

It was hard enough being ripped away from Harry, but now Hermione too? They'd all be alone with no one but aurors and teachers to breath down their necks. They'd get to see each other once in a blue moon, and communication between the three would have to be slim at best...

Maybe I could steal one of the horses Ron reasoned, getting up and walking to the railing. I could grab Hermione and we could be on our way before anyone noticing... He stared out into the night sky, pondering the very doable but ultimately stupid plot. For starters, it wouldn't take long for the professors and aurors to know he and Hermione were gone. Secondly, Hermione would pitch a fit if she knew what was going through his head right now. Thirdly, his anger was beginning to subside and clearer thinking was starting to prevail.

Right...we'll wait for the carriages in the morning, then make a break for it A chuckle escaped him and he leaned forward on the railing, his aquamarine eyes catching Sirius, the dog star in the sky for the first time that night. It twinkled at him ominously, as if telling Ron that the worst thing he could do would to be to fight Snape and Lupin on this. Ron shook his head. "You don't understand..." he murmured, continuing to look at the shining star in all his glory. "I don't even understand...s'hard enough bein' taken from Hogwarts but bein' taken from Hermione..." he shook his head.

His eyes nearly popped right out of his head.

Bloody Hell...

That's what the problem was.

Hermione wasn't _just_ a best friend to him anymore.

He wasn't even sure how it had happened...it just had. And tonight's events had made him realize just how important to him Hermione was. It was hard enough to be taken away from Harry's side, knowing that, even though he had the whole of Gryffindor rallied behind him, his two closest friends were no longer there to help him through whatever troubles he may face. To be split apart from Hermione though...his stomach became queasy whenever he thought of the subject. He let out a funny sort of giggle and threw his hands in the air.

"Oy, what would Harry say about this," he shook his head. It made since though. Hermione wasn't what one would call unattractive. Her hair had grown into a deep rich chestnut color, her expressive eyes matching it and becoming more and more piercing by the year. Her skin was now a smooth milky cream complexion, with dotted freckles along the apples of her cheeks, and the braces that had been on her teeth had long been gone since second year after dealing with the basalisk. She was, in a word, beautiful. Not only on the outside, but on the inside as well.

It was too bad that it had taken something like this for him to realize it. He looked again at the dog star, which was still twinkling brightly in the now early morning sky.

"What do I do now?"

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"We've got to talk to them," Tonks said, shaking her head sadly. "The situation's got to be tough on them, y'know?"

"Divulging any unneeded information would make their situation more dangerous," Moody said, shaking his head. He was leaning against the wall of the mantle of the fireplace. They were all quite safe at Sirius' home, but Moody's belief of 'constant vigilance' still had not left him. Anyone that spent five minutes with the man could tell that, even now, he was watching everyone in the room, along with all the points of entry and exit, and every nook and cranny.

"Agreed," Severus said, standing next to the sofa and fixing Tonks with a superior glare, "they simply need to realize that no amount of whining is going to make their plight any better."

"And what will that accomplish, Severus?" Lupin asked, "absolutely nothing."

"Lupin, part of the reason that we're in this situation right now is because you felt it would be best to tell them the night before their separation was to occur. If we had woken them up in the morning and taken them, there would have been no room for discussion."

"Yes, Severus, but at the same time, there would be much anger on the way to their respective bases, and anger can lead to mistrust. At this stage in the war, that can _not _be a factor."

"Mistrust? Lupin, I'm not here to win their _trust_. I'm here to protect them, to make sure that the Dark Lord does not get his hands on them. Whether they trust me or not should not be the concern."

"Well, either way, they need to be spoken to," Tonks said, heading over to the couch. She began to sit down, but inadvertently slipped on the floor and instead of landing on the couch, landed on the hard wood floor. Snape rolled his eyes and reached over, grabbing one of her arms to haul her up. "Thanks, Snape. Such a gentleman, you are," she said good naturedly. Severus merely grumbled something about Tonks being the most uncoordinated witch he'd ever known in his life. "As I was sayin'", Tonks continued, settling herself on the couch, "they've got to at least be told why this is happenin'...they've got a right to know that at least."

"Very well then, Tonks," Snape looked down at her, a surely look in his eyes, "since you are set on talking to them, why don't you run along upstairs and see that Hermione is alright, and Lupin, you, I'm sure, can find Ron and talk to him, correct?"

"Uh...with all due respect, Severus, I'm not that great at talkin' about issues like this," Tonks giggled nervously. "I've never been through anything like this...'specially nothin' considerin' my feelin's for someone, ya know?"

Remus, however, was all for the solution. "I'd be happy to talk to Hermione or Ron, Severus, just point the way."

"And what exactly are you going to say to them, Lupin?" Moody asked. "Because in the mind of a teenager, it won't matter what you say. It'll be lost on their ears, you might as well be talkin' to air."

"You don't know those two like I do, Moody." Remus said calmly and not unkindly. "They are not like most teenagers."

"Quite right, Lupin," Snape broke in, "most teenagers at Hogwarts give respect to professors, follow the rules, do as their told-"

"Excellent, excellent, I'd hoped to find all of you in the same room at once," came a voice from a fire place, inadvertently cutting Severus off. Four heads turned to see Professor Dumbledores' head floating.

"Headmaster," Lupin greeted, moving so that he was more in front of the fire place.

"Remus, Mad-eye," Dumbledore nodded his head at each one of them, his own form of greeting, "I trust that there were no problems on your trip?"

"None, Headmaster," Severus answered, "besides a slight chill that we did not anticipate, the journey was a smooth one."

"Splendid!" came Dumbledores gleeful reply. "Where are they now?"

An uneasy look passed between all four aurors, one that Albus did not fail to notice. "Remus, would you explain please?"

"Well, Headmaster..." Remus looked at the other three for help. Tonks raised her eyebrows as if to say 'tell the truth' while Moody and Snape merely looked at Lupin with blank expressions on their faces. "Hermione and Ron are feeling some...er, trepidation about the second part of the mission." Dumbledore nodded, understanding seeping through the pours on his face. Dumbledore never failed to surprise Lupin, nor anyone else in the room. He always seemed to know what was going on, even when he wasn't present within the situation.

"Of course, of course, this was foreseen," Dumbledore murmured, "where are they now?"

"In the house, that much we know for sure, Headmaster," Tonks said, leaning against the sofa cushions. "They kinda stormed out of here after we told them."

"You must talk to them," Dumbledore insisted, "you must stress to them why this is necessary."

"We were actually just discussing that Professor," Lupin chimed in, "we were having a bit of difficulty deciding who should do the talking though."

"Professor, I'd just like to say that I'm no good when it comes to sentimental speeches," Tonks said, raising her hand. Dumbledore smiled gently at the young woman. "Very well, Tonks. I rather had something planned for you and Moody in any case. An owl will arrive within the next hour baring instructions that I want you and Moody to follow to the absolute letter."

"Instructions for what, Albus?" Moody asked, pushing off of the wall to see the Professor a bit better. Dumbledore smiled, one of those secret, all knowing smiles. "The owl will arrive shortly, Moody, I assure you." The subject was dropped, returning to the matter at hand. "As for Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger, Remus, Severus, you will have the task of explaining to them why such high security precautions are necessary."

"Headmaster, I hardly believe that I am the one you want speaking to one or both of them about the reasons for this implementation of hiding." Severus' voice was so surely sounding that anyone who didn't know of the respect the Potions Professor had for Dumbledore would have thought that the younger man were mocking the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore smiled lightly at his teacher, a fatherly smile that he only bestowed upon Severus when he knew that it was needed.

"On the contrary, Severus," Dumbledore held up a finger, "you are precisely the person I would like to speak with either one of them. A lesson well learned in your past would serve as a good example, don't you believe?"

Now, Severus Snape was a pale man on any day of the year. However, his complexion turned almost translucent at Dumbledores' words. He nodded curly and stepped back, indicating that whatever else he was going to say was now lost. He would remain quiet for the rest of the conversation.

"Now then, Remus," Albus continued, focusing his ever blue eyes on his young, previous Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, "you and Severus may discuss with which student you will converse, but do not delay. Tomorrow morning, whether they understand or not, they must be sent their separate ways. Understood?"

"Understood, Professor," Lupin nodded.

"Tonks, Moody, when the owl arrives, send him back to me with the general consensus." He made sure to make eye contact with everyone in the room, even with Severus, who was avoiding everyones' eyes at all costs by staring straight ahead of him. "I will be awaiting word from each of you. Until that time, safe journey tomorrow." One last smile, and Dumbledores face was extinguished along with the bright yellowish-orange flames.

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Meanwhile, inside her room, Hermione was lying in her bed, the covers drawn up her quivering body halfway as her face pressed further into the pillow to stifle her crying. She had never before felt her heart being so ripped apart in all her life; not when Harry was in the hospital wing at the end of fourth year due to Voldemorts torture, not when Sirius died, not when Mr. Weasley wound up in the hospital. She felt as though a part of her was being taken away unjustly. The worst part of it was because now, she knew why.

And it wasn't like she hadn't figured it out. After the Yule Ball in her fourth year when she and Ron had had that big argument right on the dance floor, Hermione had known. Of course she had been _attracted_ to Ron; who wouldn't be? Wiry, comical grin, chivalrous nature, witty come backs and always defending her against Malfoy and his cronies...she'd always known that there was a special place in her heart for Ronald Weasley, just as there would always be for Harry. She just didn't know how special until tonight.

She wasn't in love with him or anything...no, no, she was much to young for that. She was 16, she didn't even know what love _was_. But over the past two days, she'd found that she was attaching herself to Ron more and more. At first she thought it was logical; after all, he was her best friend and he was the only one that she knew well enough and was her age to converse with on a common basis. They were under the assumption that they were going to be spending a lot of time together. In that situation, who wouldn't want to stick to what was familiar to them?

But now that she was being faced with the possibility...actually, the definite circumstance of not having Ron around her, with her...it scared Hermione to the quick. All her logic and knowledge went out the window at this point; she didn't want to be apart from Ron, that wasn't how it was supposed to be! And whether anyone wanted to believe it or not, Hermione knew that many of the reasons she was the way she was now was because of Ron. She'd calmed down so much since the age of 11. She still studied, she still tried to adhere to the rules, but when something needed to be done that went out of boundaries, she was now willing to take the consequences of her actions rather than stay on the straight and narrow. Yes, some of that was because of Harry, but Ron could be the reckless bastard when he wanted to be as well.

She needed him. Badly.

So badly that she hoped with all her heart as she leapt out of the bed that it was Ron knocking on her door. She flung it open, expecting to see a carrot topped covered face looking back at her, but the man that stood there was far to tall and old to be Ron. She stepped back a couple of paces as the disappointment spread on her face visibly. She didn't care though, not at the moment.

"Professor Lupin," she breathed, her mind now racing to cover her face which was stained with tears. She brought a hand up to her cheeks and wiped them quickly. Lupin, being the gentleman that he was, took a handkerchief out of his sleeve and handed it to her. He knew Hermione Granger well; she reminded him of an old friend of his who had a lot in common with the girl that stood before him. "When you're ready, Hermione, get dressed and come into the parlor. We'll go for a stroll and talk.."

"But Professor Snape-"

"Is actually finding Ron at the moment. Don't worry," Lupin smiled gently, "curfew's mean very little at the moment. Although don't let it go to your head." Hermione nodded and, after the professor had closed the door behind him, grabbed a stray sweater and pair of jeans that were lying about. "Bloody sneakers...where are you..." she soon found them right where she had left them: by to door. She slipped them on quickly, then, opened the door and hurried downstairs. Exactly like he said he would be, Professor Lupin was waiting in the parlor with two cloaks. "It's a bit nippy out tonight," he said, handing her the cloak, then, swinging his on as well. After Hermione's was securely fastened, they stepped out into the chilly night air and descended down the path that led up to the front door of Sirius' home. The walk was quiet for a while, student and teacher simply taking in environment around them.

"Tell me what you're feeling, Hermione," Lupin suddenly said, slowing his pace to a gradual speed. "Anything at all. I don't care if it's towards myself, Snape, Ron...the ministry, Dumbledore himself. What is said between us stays between us. We are confidants, agreed?" Hermione nodded and swallowed, but still kept quiet, not sure of how to start out. She supposed she could just start talking, but then, if it wasn't thought out enough, she would seem stupid, ignorant, and childish. Professor Lupin seemed to be reading her mind. "Don't worry about how it sounds, Hermione," he coached, "just say it. Anything you want."

Hermione stopped and looked up at Professor Lupin, a set expression on her face, though she didn't know what it was. She let out a deep, frustrated breath and flipped her hair back over her shoulders. "I'm angry, for starters," she said vehemently. "I understand the need for Ron and myself to be taken as far away from Harry as possible, but not the need for Ron and I to be separated."

"Good, keep going," Lupin encouraged, folding his hands in front of him and continuing to walk, simply taking in Hermione's words.

"We're being ripped away from everything we know simply because the ministry or the aurors or whoever _thinks_ that there _might_ be a _possibility_ that Ron and I are in danger." Hermione could feel a familiar fire come streaming through her words as she spoke and, fueled by it, grew more confident. "This...situation has been thrust on all of us in the span of two or three days, and for some reason, every adult wizard in the magical realm seems to believe that all three of us are supposed to be okay with it, because they believe that through out all of the adventures and close calls that we've had in the past six years, we would understand this fully and have no problems with it! Well, they're wrong! And ignorant for thinking such a thing!" She huffed faster down the little path that had been created with age, leaving Professor Lupin to catch up with her.

"Has anyone considered that we're still technically children? That we're still in school? That we may even be scared out of our minds about what's happening?" She stopped on the path and whirled to face her teacher. "Have any of you thought about that?"

Remus looked sadly down at Hermione, a mix of sympathy and understanding written on his face. He waited until Hermione had dabbed away the tears that had started up again with the handkerchief that she had been given earlier. When she was finished, he raised his eyebrows.

"Better?"

Hermione shrugged but nodded, looking away numbly, clearly embarrassed that she had just lost her composure in the way she had.

"Would you like to know exactly what it is that made us believe that you and Ron are in danger?"

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. "You-you can tell me that? It's not something that's confidential?"

"Well, it is confidential and when Professor Snape finds out that I told you, I'll have to endure one of his lectures on keeping what's supposed to be kept from certain people kept...but seeing as how you are in the situation, I don't see why you can't know. After all, it's your life, right?"

He didn't wait for Hermione to answer. It was a rhetorical question after all.

"Professor Snape had to have a substitute for about two weeks and returned to Hogwarts just this past week."

"Yes, I know..." Hermione said slowly, a subtle indication to Lupin that he should get to the point quicker. "I don't think I have to tell you where he was for those two weeks," he continued, "but let's just say that he was busy getting some valuable information. Information concerning not Harry, but those that Harry was most often around." He looked pointedly at Hermione, and she nodded, getting the point.

"Harry is to well protected, but of course, you already know that. Dumbledore is always around him, Professor McGonnagal is always hovering over him, and, at a moments notice or request, Dumbledore can have any number of aurors at Hogwarts within moments, not because the Ministry of Magic will agree with him, but because the aurors that he will call have too much respect to go against him."

"But...for Ron and me..."

"The aurors would be willing to go against the Ministry for Harry Potters safety..." Remus interjected. Neither of them said the last part of the sentence, for the both knew what it would be. The aurors would do anything to protect Harry, even go against the Ministry of Magic themselves. But for ordinary people, like Ron and Hermione, two people that were not thought to have the ability to defeat Voldemort...

"I understand," Hermione finally murmured quietly, swallowing. Lupin stayed quiet, letting his young student take in gradually the information that she'd learned.

"What did he say about us?"

Lupin's brow creased in confusion. "I'm not sure who you're referring to, Hermione."

"Voldemort...besides the obvious, what else did he say about us? Did Professor Snape tell you?"

Lupin smirked. "Understand this, Hermione. I don't care what the Ministry believes about you and Ron. Both of you were just as instrumental in helping to foil Voldemorts latest plots as Harry was. Let's just say that the Dark Lord is not to fond of either of you three at the moment. This is, according to Snape, just one of the reasons why he is in such a hurry to take possession of one or both of you. He believes that having one of you will break Harry's spirit. He thinks it will make the Boy Who Lived give up and surrender."

"Harry will _never_ surrender to Voldemort," Hermione said vehemently. "Never. He knows Ron and I would rather die than see that day."

"Well, that's only one of the reasons, like I said," Lupin said, once again starting to walk down the path. Hermione followed closely behind. They were headed back towards the house now, though it was still a good distance away. "Well, what were the other reasons...that's the only one that I can think of."

Professor Lupin chuckled. "Hermione, you disappoint me. Are you certain that's the _only_ reason that comes to your keen mind?" When she didn't answer, he looked over and behind him and saw that she was hard in thought. It was an amazing thing to see Hermione Grangers face light up when she had an answer to a problem, and this was just such an occasion. Her face could have been a light house for a boat caught out in the fog.

"He must believe that because Ron and I are so close with Harry that maybe we know some things about the inner workings of the ministry, of Hogwarts, of Dumbledore...anything that may help him defeat us..."

"Very good, Hermione." He looked up at the night sky and noticed the the stars were shining brighter this night, one in particular. "Sirius would be proud of all three of you, you know," he sighed, scuffing his boot in the ground like a young boy would to pass the time. It was then that he noticed Hermione had stopped walking. He turned to face her. "What is it?"

"That still doesn't explain why Ron and I have to be taken away from each other."

Lupin gave her a sad smile. "I'm surprised that hasn't dawned on you yet either."

"Of course we're friends...best friends...that will never change, but if Voldemort got hold of both of us, that doesn't mean that we would give him any information-"

"Hermione," Lupin cut her off gently, "you're not being honest with yourself. Now, even if it were the case that you and Ron were only friends, we would still be taking this measure. But I think you and I both know how you are starting to see Ron...probably have been seeing him for a while but just wouldn't admit it to yourself." He held her gaze until she had to look away to hide the tears that were threatening to fall down her slightly red cheeks.

"I know that you and Ron would never give up information willingly about our side," he continued, "you both would do everything within your power to ensure that that wouldn't happen. But what you and he must understand now is that the power is no longer in your hands, especially if he captures one or both of you. I've seen what he can do to people to make them talk, and even for fully grown, fully trained wizards...it's very difficult not to succumb. And it's even more dangerous for you two now. You are both at a very testing point in your lives, not just personally, but magically. This is the time when your full potential will begin to shine through...and if either you or Ron have any kind of gift or ability that Voldemort thinks he can use, mark my words, Hermione...he will find a way to get it. And that way may be through one of you watching the other suffer horribly until the watcher can't take anymore."

Remus Lupin was fairly certain that if he bet money that he'd never seen Hermione Granger as scared as she was before in his life he would win. Her face was stricken with so many emotions that the werewolf/professor found it impossible that all of them could fit on her face. "Come on," he said, walking towards her and putting an arm around her shoulder to guide her back towards the house. The only noise as they walked were her soft sniffles as she cried.

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Severus Snape had watched the young boy on the porch for quite some time now. It was no secret that Snape wasn't especially good at communicating with his students. In fact, he would be the first one to admit it; he was down right horrible. Years of serving an evil master and his own days at Hogwarts when he was ridiculed about everything from his hair to his skin to his love for learning and books could do that to a person. But, as Moody and Tonks had said, he would be the best person to talk to Ron about this...well, Lupin would actually be better, but the idea of dealing with an emotionally unstable Hermione Granger was less appealing to him than eating frogs legs soaked in kerosene.

And so, for the past twenty minutes, the potions master for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been trying to come up with something to say that would make Ron understand that this really was for the best.

Twenty-one minutes and counting; he'd still come up with nothing. Finally, he decided to say the first thing that came to mind.

"Mr. Weasley, the only thing that you will achieve staring at a star as long as you have is the development of poor eyesight." Snape's arms were crossed tightly over his chest, not down at his sides comfortably as usual. "Nor will it achieve what I'm sure you hope to talk myself and the aurors out of." If Ron had turned around, he would have seen just the slightest bit of sympathy in his potion teachers eyes. As it was, Snape was the last person that Ron wanted to see at the moment, and the older mans very presence was annoying him to no end.

"I'd rather be by myself, thanks," Ron muttered, lowering his eyes to the dark horizon in front of him. He leaned further over the railing of the deck, furthering his distance from Snape.

Snape let out a soft breath of air. It appeared that Mr. Weasley was not going to be as easily swayed as he would be if he were in class. Taking a step that he knew would get him into trouble with his own thoughts later on, Severus strode forward a couple of paces towards the railing, ending about two yards away from Ron. As a teacher, Snapes peripheral vision had grown quite acute over the years, and he didn't miss the slight roll of Ron's eyes. The only thing that either of them heard for quite a while was the whistle of the wind through the heavy foliage, the breeze rustling the leaves together creating an eerie sound that, if he were younger, would have sent chills down Severus' spine.

"As you are always so keen of never seeing, Mr. Weasley, the ministry is trying to protect you," Snape said, staring, just as Ron still was, out at the dark horizon. Ron said nothing, didn't make any attempt to let Snape know that he had heard him, or that he cared. He was only thinking about two things right now: Hermione and being faced with the fact that it would be a very long time before he saw her again, and the fact that Severus Snape, feared Potions Master of Hogwarts was on Sirius Blacks porch talking to him. Like he cared. Like Snape was trying to help him. Ron, to say the least, was not only annoyed, but confused as all hell.

"You seem to believe yourself an adult, Mr. Weasley, what with your constant breaking of the rules and need to make decisions," Snape was saying, "though you are hardly acting like an adult now; a spoiled brat perhaps, which, I must say I would have expected from Miss. Granger."

Ron's shoulders tensed slightly, that much Snape could see, and the professor could tell that he had hit on something.

"Your behavior tonight left much to be desired," Severus crossed his arms, "but why do I have the inexplicable feeling that if we had attempted to explain to you the ministry's reasoning for their decision, you would have lost your temper?" Ron's face was beginning to set into his pre-eruption expression. Snape kept going as though he didn't notice. However, he did touch the wand on the inside of his cape, making sure that it was there and ready for quick use. Teenage emotions had a history of making magic spiral out of control.

"Yes, yet another problem we see with you Mr. Weasley. Your temper seems to have a mind of it's own when it comes to...well, anything that may anger you, anything really; your grades, your family, Malfoy shooting off his mouth about you, or your lack of wealth..." he trailed off, noticing that Ron's face had turned an unhealthy shade of red, and his aquamarine eyes were finally set squarely on Severus.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, did you have something to say?" Snape asked in a silky, almost amused voice.

"Yea...yea, I do. For starters," Ron pushed himself away from the railing, "I don' want to talk- not to you, not to Lupin, not to any of the aurors in there. Second, I _definitely_ don' want to talk to you, an' thirdly, even if I _did_ want to tell you something, I wouldn't, because there's no way that you would _begin_ to understand it!"

If anyone had come out onto the porch at that moment, he or she would have thought that Snape and Ron were going to have a wizards duel right then and there. Ron was actually considering blowing Snape clean away, actually. The only thing that was stopping him was knowing that he would wind up in Azkaban for killing another wizard. After seeing Harry deal with the Dementors, Ron had no desire what so ever to be near them again.

"Mr. Weasley, I am quite sure that you have no idea what I can and can not understand. I can tell you that I can understand quite a bit. Despite what you and your little friends may believe, I was once young, such as yourselves, and I can assure you, I was put in much worse situations than this." He fixed Ron with a glare that clearly said, 'prove me wrong'. Ron took the bait.

"Prove it," Ron snapped, his slightly wavy hair flipping up and down.

Snapes' eyes flashed. "Very well, Mr. Weasley." He took a few steps closer to Ron, but if he thought his student was going to back away, he was in for a surprise. Ron stood his ground, meeting Snape glare for glare, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You know what I do? When I am away from Hogwarts, you know where I am?"

Ron nodded. Snape smirked. "Yes, of course you do." he muttered. "When I finally came to my senses and realized that I was on the wrong side in the wizarding world, only Headmaster Dumbledore and a very few others believed that I was truly ready to change my ways. I was watched day and night by aurors who would have much rather seen me sent to Azkaban for the rest of my days rather than work side by side with me. Some tried their hand at putting me there themselves. Professor Dumbledore however trusted me…though to this day, I don't know why."

There was a moment of quiet between the two; Snape trying to figure out where to go next and Ron indeed wondering what had made Dumbledore trust Snape so early on in the war against Voldemort.

"I worked alongside many people...teachers at Hogwarts, aurors for the ministry...parents who wanted to ensure their children's safety. Each one of them was wary of me and I in turn of them. They didn't know if I would one day turn around and slaughter them all and I didn't know if they would try to kill me in turn for carrying out some of Voldemort's most deadly of deeds. There was one though...one person who didn't judge me...amazingly."

He looked over at Ron to make sure that he had the boys attention, and he did. Ron was listening quietly, and Snape was pleased to see that the color of red in Ron's face had gone down about five shades. Only two to go.

"She was about my age. A very complicated individual. Kind, silent most of the time, friendly with everyone...but she had a different side to her, this woman. Her bad side, shall we say, was not a place someone wanted to be. She had some of the strongest and boldest convictions of anyone that I've ever known...hated injustice. Possibly because she had been dealt quite a bit herself in her younger years." Severus rested his hands on the railing in front of him, and, knowing that he had Ron's attention decided to look out into the distance as he spoke. It was much easier for him to talk like this, especially sense he rarely, if ever, spoke of his sorted past.

"We formed a close friendship, something that I had never had the luxury of having before. She and I were able to communicate on an intelligence level that many of the aurors didn't have the capacity for. And she didn't receive a great amount of support for her connections with me, but that was to be expected, and quite frankly, I didn't blame them." He heard a short but frustrated sigh behind him, and Snape actually smiled slightly.

"Yet another virtue you need to be taught Mr. Weasley. Patience," he shook his head. "We worked together for a while...dealt with intelligence information, planned raids, interrogated those from Voldemorts' side that we'd been able to capture, and eventually those that I worked with constantly began to accept me. Though some of her friends, I think, never really did." Snape gave a kind of shrug and leaned further over the railing. "There was one day when many of the aurors and myself were called to a meeting discussing some other tactics that would be taken against Voldemort. One of them, of course, was spying, which is what I had been performing for the ministry since the time that I had released myself from Voldemorts service." Unwittingly, Snape gripped the railing a bit tighter. "She, along with a few others, were assigned espionage duty. This of course, meant that she and I would be separated for quite some time, which I despised the idea of."

"Did you like her?" Ron inquired, and this time, for the first time ever, Ron saw his potions professor, the man who struck fear into thousands of students at Hogwarts, genuinely smile. It was a night of firsts for this man, in Ron's opinion. "I liked her as a person. I cared for her," Snapes' voice was almost thoughtful, "I never developed romantically inclined feelings for her however. That was never an option for either of us, given the kind of work we did."

"Wot happened to her?" Ron asked. He could see Snape swallow and knew that whatever had happened to the woman, it wasn't something that was easy for his professor to say.

"She was murdered," Snape answered, very slightly hoarse, "a result of one of Voldemorts' attacks." He looked at his student, whose face was a mixture of surprise and regret for even asking the question. As for Severus, his expression, which had set into a sunken, defeated, and sad man, now flipped back to what students and teachers had become accustomed to over the years from studying and working under him; a cold, arrogant face with just the hint of one horror to many seen by his dark, glittering eyes.

"I was not unfortunate enough to be romantically inclined towards my comrade." he strode towards Ron a couple of steps and stopped maybe a foot from the boy. He didn't speak until Ron was looking at him, waiting for him to go on, which he did. "But it appears that you have."

Ron opened his mouth to deny the charge, but Snape's ever ready silencing hand was up in a heart beat to stop him. "Do not bother to deny or explain it, Mr. Weasley. It is plain for anyone who has eyes at Hogwarts to see, and it has been for an extremely long time." Ron's mouth remained open, then, an understanding, which was not commonly seen on the red head spread all over his face, and he slowly closed his jaw, fixing Snape with an even glare.

"That's why the ministry's separating us."

Snape nodded. "Among other things, yes." He watched Ron take in the realization and he frowned. "Do you know what Voldemort-" Ron shuddered and crossed his arms. "Mr. Weasley, you had better get used to hearing that name. We don't say You-Know-Who on the auror's base. Do you know why?"

Ron nodded. "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."

"Correct." Severus gave Ron a side long glance. "Hardly the way you would word it however, Mr. Weasley. Where did you hear that quote?"

Ron stooped down to pick up a twig and began to roll it through his fingers. "Hermione told it to Malfoy once…"

"Yes well, Draco can be an insufferable brat."

Ron shook his head. "No, she said that to Lucius Malfoy…Draco's dad…" he stared at the twig in his hand and chuckled. "I thought for sure Malfoy'd hex her right then and there."

"She is extremely lucky he didn't," Snape said dryly. "Lucius Malfoy is a killer, make no mistake about it. I watched him commit hundreds of atrocities…most of the time he laughed while he made his victims suffer."

"Yea, an' Draco's followin' in daddy's footsteps."

"Draco?" Snape almost burst out laughing. "Draco is merely an uneducated boy who has the unfortunate luck to have Lucius as his father. That child will never be as horrible as Lucius."

"Wot makes you so sure?" Ron asked, furrowing his brow. He himself was certain that Draco was next inline to be Voldemorts' right hand man. "I mean, the way he struts around the castle 'n all…callin' anyone who isn't pure blood a…a you-know-wot, 'n bullyin' everyone in sight…seems like he's on the right track."

"Things are not always as they seem, Mr. Weasley."

There was a soft cough heard behind both of the males, and, for a moment, each thought that the other had cleared their throat. When the sound was made again, louder this time, both Snape and Ron turned around. Standing in the door way was Lupin and in front of him, looking very nervous, was Hermione.

"Severus, would you mind coming into the house with me?" Lupin asked, "Moody and Tonks just received that owl, they'd like us to have a look at it."

"Of course, Lupin. I am finished here." Snape pushed away from the railing and without a single glance back at Ron followed Remus into the house, the door closing behind them. Hermione was left standing at the door, her hands clasped in front of her, the bottom of her lip caught between her two rows of bright white teeth. Her eyes, which had been cast to the floor while the two teachers had been out on the deck now rose to Ron's face, and he met her gaze for gaze.

"Professor Lupin and I went for a walk," Hermione started out, though she was still rooted in place. Her feet just didn't seem to want to move forward. "He...he told me some things...explained a lot to me...about why this is happening...about why the ministry wants us kept apart for a while."

"Yea," Ron rubbed the back of his neck, "Snape was out here talkin' about the same thing. Was kinda weird really...talkin' to Snape like he actually cared..." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "What did Lupin tell you?"

Now Hermione's feet were able to take a couple of steps forward. It wasn't much, but it got her away from the dark wall of the house and out into the moon light a bit more so that Ron could actually see her full expression and she, in turn, see his. "That what was happening was for our own good…that us and Harry would both be safer this way…unhappy, but safe." Ron snorted and brushed his hair back. "That's fo' sure," he muttered.

"They have evidence, Ron."

Ron just looked at her, not catching her meaning immediately. "Who's they? What evidence?"

"Vol-sorry, You-Know-Who's been keeping us in his mind…he knows how close we are with Harry," she swallowed, stepping towards the railing so she could lean on it. She felt so light headed at the moment with all of the realizations of the night that she could keel over at any point. "Lupin didn't tell me everything but-Ron, I think he's put us at the top of his list. He knows how close Harry is to us. Instead of attacking Harry like he always as, he's got a new target now."

"Beautiful," Ron said, slapping the railing angrily, "an' why weren't we told this before we were dragged all the way here?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"You know, I'm beginnin' to think that the only reason that the aurors are doing this is to keep the three of us out of trouble," Ron glowered.

"Ron-"

"I mean, look at it Hermione," Ron began walking around the porch, "ever since we got to Hogwarts, we've been in the middle of every fight between Voldemort and Harry. Harry's almost been killed a thousand times, we've almost been killed at least a hundred, we always ignore the rules, we must've given Snape, Dumbledore, and the other teachers a number of migraines that we can't count…." He trailed off, noticing that Hermione was staring at him, her mouth slightly open and a shocked expression on her face.

"Wot?"

"You said his name," Hermione answered quietly.

"Who's?"

Hermione blinked. "Voldemort…you said Voldemorts name."

"Oh…oh yea…yea, I guess I did…huh…" Ron cocked his head to the side, as though he were thinking about it. "When Snape was out here talkin' to me…he told me that I should get used to it…hearin' his name all the time." He put his hands back in his pockets. "They don't say 'you-know-who' around the bases, accordin' to Snape."

"No, they don't." Hermione laughed out, her face scrunching up and then evening out into a smile. "We've grown up so much…you know?" She crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing her upper limbs a bit from the crisp night air.

"Yea…course, you've always been grown up," Ron joked, "me and Harry just had to catch up."

"Yea…maybe…" she leaned against the railing of the deck and regarded Ron for a few moments. It was in that moment that she was sure of her feelings for the boy in front of her. He looked so mature, standing in the moon light, looking at her with a kind of fondness that she had never seen on his fair face before. "I think we've all grown up a lot in the past six years, don't you?"

Ron shrugged, choosing not to answer.

"Ron?"

"Yea?"

"I think I like you." Her mouth curled upwards at the sides a bit. "I thought I was upset because I was being taken away from my two best friends…but that was only part of it. I was angry because they were making us separate…and I don't want that." She looked at him, hoping that her eyes weren't conveying what she really wanted him to say.

For his part, Ron's face was blank. He didn't know what to say. He knew what he _wanted_ to say, but as for actually putting it in words, well…he was never really great at that. He did notice eventually that his hand was gripping the railing so tightly that small wood splinters were beginning to set themselves into his skin, and he had to mentally dislodge his hand from the banister.

"Ron?"

"Yea?" he inspected his hand, not looking at her. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do? He had no clue where to go from here. So, looking at his hand for splinters seemed to be the best way to handle the situation. He had a legitimate problem, and therefore, he had to give all of his attention to it.

Matters of the heart could wait.

"Ron?"

Usually, matters of the heart could wait.

"Hm?" he answered shortly. Hermione swallowed. She shouldn't have said anything. There was already enough stress on the both of them, and she had just doubled it with once sentence. Even though that's what she kept telling herself, she found her eyes filling with a watery substance; something she found herself doing an awful lot these days. "I'm-I'm really sorry, Ron. I shouldn't have said that…not with everything going on."

Oh…oh, she's crying…can I panic now? Ron looked up, hearing her voice crack more than once. Stupid…stupid, stupid, stupid!

"It's okay…really, Hermione, it is, it's okay…please don't cry…please?" He walked a couple of inches forward, his hands halfway out in front of him as though he were getting ready to pray for her tears not to fall.

"I'm just so frustrated…" she muttered, "we can't help Harry, we can't help each other, we don't even know if we'll be able to help around whatever auror base it is we'll each be taken to…it's like we're being given nothing to do when we know that there's so much we can do to help!" On the last word she slapped her hand against the rail, but quickly yelped in shock.

"Wot happened?" Ron asked immediately. Hermione was looking at her hand, holding it with her free one. "I-I don't know," she murmered, her attention still on her hand, "I think I brought my hand down on a splinter." She hissed through her teeth as she tried to squeeze the small chip of wood out of her hand. She didn't even notice Ron until his hands were on her's, pushing one of them away and taking the other into his own. "Got to be careful…sometimes, if you squeeze it the wood the wrong way, it'll sink further into the skin." He began to gently press her hands with his fingers.

"Gotta press out…see?" He held up his finger and settled atop it was a small, light brown chip of wood. The only thing Hermione could do was nod and stare at his finger. The lump in her throat was threatening to grow. If this kept up, it would break soon.

"Hermione."

She blinked. "Yes?" she choked out.

"I-" he took a deep breath, then tried again. "You and me…I think-uhh-" he licked his lips. "what I'm trying to say is that I think I might…you know…"

"Like me?" Hermione supplied. Ron appeared to think about it, then, shocking Hermione to the core, shook his head. "No, that's not it…"

"What?"

"I'm jokin' Hermione, I'm jokin'…really..." He grinned his trademark grin. As for Hermione, the flood gates finally broke and she ducked her head, her quiet cries muffled against Ron's slightly broader and stronger chest. Quidditch practice had helped him fill out over the year, and he was gladder than ever for the sport as he returned Hermione's hug. It was an amazing thing, both of them discovering that they had feelings for each other. It felt strange, but at the same time, felt natural. It felt good to have someone to take care of.

"Ron?"

"Yea?"

"I'm scared." She leaned away from him just enough to raise her bushy brown head and look up at him. "How are we going to get through this? We've always been together…you, Harry, and I…we always help each other, we're always there-"

"Well…I think we'll still be here…just won't be able to see each other is all," Ron said. He patted her back a bit, albeit awkwardly. The poor kid really didn't know what to do with an emotional Hermione. He knew what to do with an angry Hermione, which was yell right back at her.

Why couldn't they be mad as hell at each other right now? That would make things so much easier.

"I guess we'll be able to visit each other…Professor Lupin and Professor Snape did say that, right?"

"Uhhhh…" Ron looked up at the sky, lost in thought. "I think Dumbledore said that…somebody said it, I know that much." Hermione coughed out a laugh. "Ever the listening boy, Ronald Wealsey." She pulled away from Ron and wiped her eyes free of the pain, and a smile creeped out, one that was just for Ron and no one else.

"So," she started, not sure where to take the conversation now. Ron's lips pursed together and he slid his hands in his pockets, rocking back and fourth on his heels. "So," he repeated.

"Where do you think they'll send us?" Hermione asked a moment later. In truth, she was trying to get off the topic of her and Ron and on the topic of how they would deal. Letters and seeing each other were absolutely out of the question. There was to much of a chance that either the letters or they themselves would be intercepted.

In answer to her question, Ron shrugged. "Probably some place we've never heard of before."

"Probably."

Another awkward silence.

"We'll find some way to contact one another, right?" Hermione asked. Her tone left the question to be more of the statement. "Yea…you'll figure something out, just like you always do," Ron answered, grinning. Hermione's eyebrows raised slightly. "Me? I'll figure it out? Why not you, you've got a brain as well!"

"Yea, but we both know that you're the smartest outta the two of us so, why should I stress myself out over it when I know you'll find a way?"

"I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or as an insult."

Ron snorted.

And the bantering and conversing continued for much longer than either anticipated. They spoke of old memories, of what they would do when they left, how they could help the ministry, possible ways that they could contact not only each other, but Harry as well. They talked for so long, they hardly noticed the first orange rays of the sun peeking up through the horizon.

That is, until Remus came out to greet them, a cup of tea in his hand.

"Good morning," he said, taking a sip of his drink, "I take it your evening was pleasant?"

"Yes, thank you," Hermione said, looking around as though she didn't quite believe that it was morning already, "I thought you said that we had a long day ahead of us. Why didn't you come to tell us to sleep?"

"Oh, never you worry, Hermione. Professor Snape made quite a few attempts to come out here himself and order you to bed, but Tonks and I kept him at bay. After all, this will probably be the last you two see of each other for a while. I saw no reason to rush your good-byes. However," he smiled sadly at the two of them, "you both must be off fairly shortly. The horses are out front. Ron, I will be escorting you to your new 'home' if you will, Hermione, Professor Snape will be your guide." He stepped back, looking at his two favorite students. "Five minutes, and then we're off." He turned and walked back into the house.

"Five minutes," Hermione repeated in a low voice, the realization sinking back into her that she and Ron had very little time left together. It occurred to her that through the course of the night, with everything that she and Ron had admitted to each other, that never once had either made a move to kiss the other. She looked up at Ron and bit her bottom lip.

"Well…what do we do now?" Ron asked, one hand in his pocket, the other raking nervously through his hair. Hermione shrugged nervously and shook her head. She had no idea. She was the brightest witch of her day, and she had no clue as to how to handle this situation.

"I suppose we start walking," she answered at last. Ron nodded and walked over to her, opening the door and letting her pass through first, following closely behind. "It's strange, really, not bein' able to be in this house anymore," Ron drabbled, "d'you think Harry'll come here?"

"If they're taking us now, then I imagine that they'll bring him here sooner or later." Hermione answered as they walked slowly through the hall way, taking the time to etch in their memory every detail of the house and of their last moments together.

"One thing I won't miss," Ron announced, walking past the portrait of Sirius' mother. He heard a chuckle and smiled. "One thing I will miss." Hermione frowned, giving him a sideways glance. "What would that be?" They arrived at the door that led to the outside yard and Ron once again opened it for her.

"Your laugh," he answered. Hermione smiled, and blushed slightly as she stepped through the passage, Ron still close at her heels. Eight horses greeted them, along with four new aurors. Remus met them half way.

"Ron, Hermione," he looked down at them, a determined yet sad look on his face, "these aurors were sent by the ministry. Two of them will accompany each of you along your journey, as well as myself and Professor Snape respectively." They both nodded, not really hearing what Remus was saying. Reality was settling into their heads as they looked at the horses ready to carry them away from the house and each other. This was really happening, and they were powerless to stop it.

"Are you both ready?" Professor Lupin asked, looking from one to the other.

"More or less," Hermione murmured, looking over at Ron, who nodded.

"Well then," the Professor cleared his throat, "let's be on our way." He turned from them, though he didn't expect them to follow right away. Which they didn't.

"Well," Ron kicked the dirt with his shoe and shook his head, looking past Hermione into the morning sunrise and finally meeting her gaze. "This is it, I guess-"

Had Ron not had a firm footing on the ground already, Hermione might have knocked him over. She was never good with situations such as these, saying good by and such, and she knew that Ron wouldn't be either. He already had so little, he wouldn't do very well with saying good bye to something that he thought was precious. So it was incredibly comforting to her to feel his arms wrap around her protectively and hear his words of encouragement. This was what endeared her most to Ronald Weasley. Whether he knew it or not, he was her strength. He was the reason that she was able to look danger in the eye and walk towards it without blinking.

For Ron, Hermione was his hope, and it was killing him to know that he was letting his hope ride away from him. It was Hermione's will and decisiveness that he cherished most about her. He wished that he had half of her courage. Where he would always whine and complain about spiders, and snakes, and such, she would plug on and deal with the situation with her gift of combat; her brain.

"We have to leave," he said to her, though his voice was down-trodden with sorrow, "you'll figure out a way to keep in touch with me. I know you will." He pulled her face away and brushed some of the hair back from her eyes. He was surprised to find that she wasn't crying. That was good. He hated to see her cry. Never knew what to do about it really.

"Again, why does it have to be me?" she asked, a humorous take on the question.

"Because I'll be too busy running away from the spiders to think about it."

That got a laugh out of Hermione. She looked up at him. "You are braver than you believe, Ron. And you know it."

"Yea, well…" he shrugged, and kissed her forehead, rubbing her back. They lingered there for a moment, their eyes searching the others, asking for permission. Permission was given…however, both realized that it was an admittance of defeat. Both wanted their first kiss to be on a happy note, not leaving under the stress of a possible attack or kidnapping attempt. Time to enjoy the others company, that's what they wanted. Ron let his hand fall to the small of her back and he turned her towards the horse.

"Need a hand up?" he asked her. Hermione shook her head. "I used to ride when I was smaller. If anything, I'd say you would be the one that would need the lift."

"Thanks a lot," Ron muttered, but smiled good naturedly as he watched her mount the animal and grab the reigns.

"Come on then, Ron," Remus called, guiding his horse over to the red head. Surprisingly, Ron got on his horse without any trouble.

"Remus, you will contact us when you reach your destination." Snape called over the trollop of Hermione's horse coming along side his own. "Immediately upon our arrival, Severus," Remus assured. Snape gave a curt nod, then looked at his charge. A determined and grim look had set upon her face as she gave one last look to Ron, then up at her escort and for lack of any other title, protector.

"Let us be off," Snape announced. With a slight kick of his heels, his horse galloped forward, Hermione and the other two auror's following closely behind him towards the rising sun.

Nudging his horse along side Professor Lupin's, Ron stared after the foursome until Remus jarred him from his thoughts by handing him his cloak.

"Ready?" he asked. Ron nodded.

"As I'll ever be."


End file.
